


Love Will Keep Us Together

by HawkinsGal



Category: Peter Kay's Car Share (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 16:54:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24060163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HawkinsGal/pseuds/HawkinsGal
Summary: John and Kayleigh are getting married on a cold December day. Mandy has invited a surprise guest to the wedding but will everyone be happy to see this guest.
Relationships: Kayleigh Kitson/John Redmond
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter 1

On a wintery December morning, it was the start of a very important day for John and Kayleigh; "I'm getting married today! I'm getting married today! I'm marrying my Johnathan!" The sound of Kayleigh's jubliant voice echoed throughout the Price household. Even the neighbours in the nearby streets around the local area could probably hear her. Kayleigh excitedly burst into Mandy's bedroom where her sister, Elsie and Kelly had all been trying to sleep off their hangovers from the hen do. Mandy slept in her own bed, with the light blue duvet covering her legs. Kelly opted for a sleeping bag that was next to the window while Elsie had made the comfy sofa bed by the door, her temporary sleeping accomodation.

Mandy and Steve's bedroom certainly had a lot of interesting items within it A newly purchased exercise bike which Mandy was looking forward to working out on more before her 10k cycle ride that she was doing for charity next month. The sofa bed of course, Mandy was forced to occasionally sleep on this, on some nights whenever Steve was hogging the duvet too much. Also the Bush widescreen TV which was mounted on the wall facing the bed.

Kayleigh in all her excitement, danced and bounced energetically around the room in her pyjamas, swaying her arms in the air as if she were competing for a place on the next series of Strictly Come Dancing. "I can't wait to become Mrs Kayleigh Redmond. Mrs Kayleigh Redmond, Mand. I'm going to be Mrs Kayleigh Redmond..."

"Kayleigh love, I know you're excited and all that but can you keep ya voice down. I feel like I've been woken up in Big Ben's clock face. My ears are bonging" Elsie's hangover was clearly the worst. Still dressed in her sparkly silver party dress, Elsie couldn't quite get back on her feet properly and it became apparent one of the ladies might need to assist in helping her up from the sofa bed.

"Kayleigh it's 8am. You're not getting married for another 5 hours." Mandy said, as she took it upon herself to remind her older sister.

"I know but I can't help feeling the way I feel...feeling happy like this. Never thought I'd get to experience meeting anyone again. Convinced myself I was destined to be on my own and then the car sharing thingy happened. John came and picked me up on the first morning. Before we both knew it, we would tell each other stuff about ourselves, sharing our hopes for the future, past regrets we've had, singing along to the music on Forever FM and without realising it we were slowly falling in love. You know what, if you'd have told me last year that I'd find love while sitting on my arse, I'd have laughed in your face."

"Yeah and I'd laughed back at you. Told you to wait and let fate takes it's course for you." Mandy countered with a knowing smile. Kayleigh always maintained she knew everything she needed to know about love but wasn't as clued-up as she believed she was.

"Is one of yous gonna give me a hand and help me to the toilet..." Elsie asked suddenly interrupting their conversation, while she was making a plucky attempt to stand on both feet. Kelly and Mandy both began pointing the fingers at each other, each attempting to persuade the other to give Elsie a helping hand.

"Tell you what, I'll help you Elsie" Kayleigh surprisingly stepped up to the task of doing this. Surely it wouldn't be much of a problem, guiding a woman of Elsie's size towards the bathroom/toilet along the upstairs landing. Elsie reached out with her hand, squeezing Kayleigh's hand as it pulled her forward. Kayleigh gave an 'ouch' expression. She glanced over at Mandy and Kelly, as if to say 'Wish I hadn't offered now'.

"Thank the lord...I can feel my legs again. Thank you Kayleigh." Elsie said, sighing with relief as they left the bedroom together.

Kayleigh re-entered the bedroom once Elsie was safely in the bathroom. She was now nursing a sore wrist. "Before you tell me, don't say we didn't warn you. I couldn't very well tell Elsie, she wasn't allowed to come to my hen party last night. She needed cheering up especially after the terrible last couple of months. Got her divorce papers delivered through the letterbox last month, officially confirming her divorce from her husband. Kids got themselves into trouble at school and her love life has been non-existent"

"She's a barrel of laughs to be around though. I'll give her that." Kelly smiled, remembering the naughty antics Elsie got up to with Juan the Stripper at the nightclub they were partying at last night. Elsie had been the life and soul of the party, tagging along with the handsome Juan after he performed for the ladies. She perhaps kept him company for a little too long. Poor bloke tried to get away from her as far as possible. It was hilarious to watch his many failed attempts.

"She's a better dancer than me." Mandy said. Reflecting on the old-school dance moves she watched Elsie showcasing on the dance floor.

"You ought to see her everytime she tries to flirt with John. It's hysterical. John's always so uncomfortable around her, keeps making his excuses to flee the room or stop her from getting too close to him." Kayleigh reveals of the many occasions where John gave hints he would be rather be anywhere else than be sitting beside Elsie in his car or being left in the same room as her.

"Oh dear." Mandy giggled, she imagined what John's reaction must have been while he made every effort possible to keep his distance from Elsie.

"Poor John" As did Kelly. Kayleigh heard muffled noise coming from the bathroom. She looked over her shoulder and caught a glimpse of Elsie using room fragrance spray as she was leaving the bathroom. It seemed very likely the bathroom would be out of order for a wee while. She stepped aside as Elsie rejoined them in the bedroom.

"I'd give it a minute...5 minutes...maybe at least an hour." Elsie said. Her cheeks looked somewhat flushed to say the least.

**xxx**

Two and a half hours later, the ladies were getting themselves ready, mainly hair styling and make up was currently being applied. Kelly was wearing a fitting neon pink dress. She was doing Kayleigh's hair for her in front of the mirror in the bedroom. She had styled done her hair for her before, so she knew which certain one suited Kayleigh best and it certainly wasn't a straightened look.

"I'm really happy for the two of you." Kelly said. She hadn't seen Kayleigh expressing happiness like this since the time she saw Jason Donovan performing in concert at the Manchester Arena a few years ago. Kieran had bought his two sisters and Kelly tickets for them to help celebrate Kayleigh's 30th birthday.

"Do you know if John's got any fit friends or cousins that I could hook up with at the wedding reception?" Kelly asked. She had been unlucky in finding love here and in Australia.

"Well his best friend Jim, he's single. He's lovely to get along with. John might also have one or two cousins who haven't got girlfriends." Kayleigh wonders whether perhaps now may not be a good time for Kelly to form a long distance relationship. Kelly was due to head back to Australia next week and there was every chance she could end up meeting someone else after she returned to live there.

"I'll make sure hears me saying hi to him when I see him then" Kelly hinted, jokingly.

"Yeah. Dazzle him with that Kelly charm of yours. You'll have him drooling over you in an instant" Kayleigh giggled.

"Shut up you." Kelly laughed at Kayleigh's lack of words of encouragement/obvious attempt to wind her up over this.

"I allways expected you would be the one to get married next not me. You facetiming me and telling me you'd met this blond-haired lifeguard or fitness coach while you were on one of your morning jogs."

"Yet instead it was the other way. You facetimed me and told me how things were going between you and John. Convinced me to check out his band's videos on YouTube. Songs are so cheesy..." Kelly gives a not quite 5 star review on the music videos that she's watched so far.

"Don't think John would be best pleased to hear you badmouthing his song writing skills. He's very talented, even wrote a song for me. At least you got your first glimpse of Jim by watching Compendium's videos." Of course Kayleigh was willing to defend the music she had instantly grown to love.

Kelly acknowledged one tiny mistake, purely based on the fact that she misread the band's name incorrectly. "Compendium? I've been thinking they were called Charmeleon."

"Well you couldn't have been paying much attention to the videos then, if you can't pronounce the name right. John use to wind me up because I made the mistake of getting the band name wrong all the time before we started courting. Of course I know the name now. I've watched the videos like 500 times. " Kayleigh said with a huge smile on her face, while reflecting the amount of times she had watch the 'In The City' video and had a little giggle at the moment in it where John, holding a mug in his hand, walks into shot behind Jim and shyly backs away, out of shot, as quickly as he possibly can. Bless him, she thought, everytime she watched it.

Elsie breezed into the room with a spring in her step and the happiest of smiles. She looked as if she were competing on a fashion show runaway. Her emerald silk dress was very eye-catching to say the least. On seeing her glamorous appearance, Kelly and Kayleigh were both certainly convinced their Irish friend was making as much effort as possible in her bid to finally find Mr Right. Perhaps it might happen today or tomorrow or on New Year's Eve. Who knows.

"Well what do you reckon, ladies?" Elsie asked, as she happily carried on striking various poses in her dress a further 4 or 5 times. She was definitely going to steal the limelight.

"You look fantastic Elsie." Kayleigh answered. She gave a nod of approval. Well it was the only way to prevent her friend from showing off her dress even more.

"Why thank you Kayleigh." Elsie appreciated her friend's compliment. Kelly shot Kayleigh a look, which could only be described as a 'excuse me but you're the one getting married Kayleigh here not Elsie'. Kayleigh knew that look well enough.

Elsie popped into the bathroom for a brief while, so she could apply her lipstick and powder her face.

Mandy came upstairs, having spent the best part of 40 minutes, checking up to see how Alfie and Chloe were doing with her mum Anne. The kids would stay over at their gran's house, if John and Kayleigh were unavailable to look after them during a day out or for an evening. Alfie was quite a handful and sulky young lad when he wanted to be. Anne had reassured her daughter, the kids surprisingly never once squabbled amongst themselves nor fussed about the food Anne had cooked for them. Alfie had spent the evening playing the FIFA game, which his dad had got for him as a Christmas present.

"Oh my god I seen Elsie's dress. Can't wait to see John's face when he sees her coming into church wearing it. He'll think it's her way of saying pick me" Mandy teased Kayleigh, intentionally. This worked perfectly everytime. Kayleigh would always easily fall for the trick.

"Umm hello, his beautiful future wife sitting right here" Kayleigh said. Her not best pleased face telling the story, as she reminded her sister of this crystal clear fact that she was still present, by lifting her left hand up high in the air.

"And may I say she looks wonderful by the way." Mandy gave her thumbs of approval. She knew exactly what she was doing.

Kayleigh briefly gave Mandy a 'two can play that game' look while Kelly adding a finishing touch to her hair. The two sisters were unable to keep a straight face not even for a minute, as they soon burst out laughing.

"Some things never change with you two" Kelly chuckled to herself. Kayleigh's longterm friend had practically seen it all; the silly arguments, the tears, the times where Mandy encouraged Kayleigh to give online dating a go, which proved to be such a waste of time but there were many moments of success where the sisters ruled at Karoake, nobody stood a chance against them.

She really was so glad to be back on UK homeland, to see her best friend marrying the man she loves. While she was greeting her friend at the arrivals lounge at the airport, she had noted one obvious fact, the most spoken word/name Kayleigh mentioned was John, 'John this, John that, Me and John'. Kelly in jest, asked her friend, 'What you've done with the real Kayleigh?'

Elsie reemerged from the bathroom. She was now glowing like a statuette. She was rearing to get herself out the house and show off this new look of hers to the entire world...well the North West.

"Kayleigh love, you look a million dollars in that dress of yours. Mr Redmond...John won't be able to take his eyes off you at the altar. As for me, I'm pretty sure I'm going to win myself some admirers at the wedding in this dress of mine. Fellas will jump at the chance of getting to me know better...if you know what I mean" Elsie said with a presumptuous wink.

"You deserve a bit of happiness in your life Elsie." Kayleigh was the only person apart from Elsie, to acknowledge this. Mandy and Kelly silently nodded in agreement. The pair could not say much else because they barely knew Elsie as well as Kayleigh does.

"Aye, I definitely do need a good man's touch right now. Thrill me. Squeeze me. Tickle me in places I've never been ticked before" Elsie said, winking her eye again. She tried to not make her 'I don't want to even picture what this might turn out to be like' look, seem so easy to read.

"Good...Good for you Elsie." Was all Kayleigh could utter, while she was encouraging Elsie to follow her heart.

**xxx**

With near an hour and 20 minutes to go, the ladies were now waiting in the hallway for the limousines to arrive outside the house. Kayleigh's fabulous red fiery hair was bunched up, her famous wavy curls remained the same. She insisted on her hair not being straight. She may have hinted once or twice to Kelly that John particularly relished playfully running his fingers through her curls. She wore the biggest smile ever as she stood in the living room doorway.

"John's going to be knocked for six when he sees you" Kelly predicted what John's reaction will look like.

"Oh don't say that, Kel" Kayleigh completely misunderstood the meaning of what Kelly meant.

"Don't say what?" Kelly asked. The look on Mandy's face alerted her to the fact, Kayleigh sometimes had the habit of never being quite clued up on certain matters.

"Say John's going to get knocked out 6 times today" Kayleigh assumed Kelly was trying to suggest hers and John's wedding day wouldn't quite go as smoothly as they hope it would.

"No...no, Kayleigh, that's not what I meant. Knocked for six means the other person will be overwhelmed when they see you and it's also a cricket term for a player who bats away the ball for six."

"Ah I get what you mean...well only a little bit...really..." So Kayleigh claimed, Kelly and Mandy were both convinced she was taking the mickey out of them.

"You sure you wouldn't like to sit down on the stairs while you wait, those shoes must be hurting your feet." Mandy thought it might be better for Kayleigh to take the weight off her feet for a few minutes.

"So does Kieran know about dad coming to the wedding?" Kayleigh asked. She found out a few days, her father would be attending the wedding. Kieran had begged her to be given the chance of giving away his sister.

"Your dad's going to be at the wedding? Since when have you been speaking to him?" Kelly asked the two sisters.

"Well since before my birthday, I've been in touch with him, haven't I. Our Kieran's not going to be happy with me."Mandy feared all hell will break loose once they come face-to-face.

"Leave Kieran to me." Although she had more important matters to attend to today, Kayleigh promised she could find time to deal with her brother, if he were to fly off the handle when he sees their father Peter for the first time in 10 years. Kieran had bad feelings towards his father for being unfaithful to his mum. His sisters had found it in their heart to forgive him but Kieran couldn't. They never mentioned him again after he moved to Warrington to live with his sister and her husband. He had moved back recently into the local area after his sister had died. Peter had secretly paid a visit to his wife and begged her for forgiveness and for them to stay as friends. She accepted both.

"Kayleigh you've got a lot on your mind, you don't need to." Mandy was keeping her fingers crossed, a family bust-up will be avoided and her sister's dream wedding day would go off without a hitch.

"Mand, Our Kieran knows he'll never win an argument against me. He always gives up after five minutes." Nobody in the family stood a chance getting the better of Kayleigh during an argument.

A knock came at the door which caused everyone to turn their head and look towards the white paneled front door. A middle-aged man could be seen standing respectfully on the other side of the door. Mandy quickly realised the person was her father. Kayleigh hadn't seen him for so many years but she honestly hand-on-heart did miss him not being apart of her life. Mandy opened the door to him. Peter gave Mandy a hug straight away even before he stepped foot inside the hallway.

Elsie took a glimpse at him and instantly thought he was a rather dashing bloke for his age.

"Dad!" Kayleigh's face softens as soon as her and her father make eye contact with each other. It's a moment they knew would be able to reminsce about more once he becomes a granddad for the 3rd/4th time.

Father and daughter hugged. "Kayleigh love! As soon as Mandy told me you were getting married, I knew I couldn't miss your big day.I wish I could give you away but Mandy's told me Kieran's going to be doing this and I don't wish to ruin this chance for him" The two pulled away from their embrace. Peter kindly wiped a tear from Kayleigh's left eye and smiled at her.

"Come on. We've got a wedding to attend" Peter takes his daughter's hand but she opts for them to link arms instead.

"Whose?" Kayleigh asks as they step outside, having one of her brief mindslip moments. Now finding herself reunited with her father had somewhat temporarily caused her to forget her actual surroundings and why she was dressed up for a big do.

"Yours...of course." Peter kindly refreshed her memory on why she was wearing a wedding dress. Kayleigh's cheeks blushed ashamedly as soon as she became aware of the fact, she had just almost made a right balls up of things. 'Frig a dig, how I could nearly go and forget I'm marrying John today'

"Can't wait for you to meet John, dad." Kayleigh talked excitedly about the first meeting of her father and her husband. She got in the car as did Peter who sat alongside her.

"I'm looking forward to meeting him too. Mandy's told me so many wonderful things about him. Like the two of you falling in love over the space of a few weeks. Very old fashioned but very romantic I might say."

Mandy gave a reassuring smile as she got in the car last. Kelly and Elsie got in the car behind theirs.

"Nervous?" Mandy questions her. Kayleigh's blond-haired sister expected her to be experiencing one or two nerves as soon as they near to the church 8 miles away.

"Me, nervous...definitely not." Kayleigh shook off any last minute nerves. Mandy and Peter both shared the same thought 'That's Our Kayleigh alright. Calm and courageous about anything"


	2. Chapter 2

John's stag do hadn't quite been one of your typical 'friends go wild during a stag do'. Of course he was pretty much free to let his hair down and party like it was 1985 on his last night of being a single man but John felt he should do something differently to mark it. The guys all agreed to have a few beers in John's back garden. Jim's sister provided the catering for them. Jim's original plan for the evening was, to fulfill his best man's duties by taking John, Steve, Kieran and Paul to one of the best nightclubs in town but given how it was currently the 'office party season', he didn't fancy the thought of being distracted and ending up being some office bird's one night stand.

"James, you not drinking tonight then, bud?" John asks with a concerned look on his face. The two lifelong friends had been sitting on the wooden bench in the garden, marveling and observing at a bit of stargazing, well John mostly was.

"Huh?" Jim had a musing look on his face as he snapped out of what ever thoughts were occupying on his mind. He had only just caught the tailend of what John said right before he took a swig of his drink. Once he had finished his drink, John quizzed his friend regarding what was on his mind. Relationship problems obviously, he speculated.

"You've been staring the chocolate fountain in the window for the last 15 minutes." John considered recommending he try it but then he saw Jim clearly wasn't willing to make a move towards the delicious dark chocolate anytime soon. "Christ sake, what's up with ya bud?"

"Feels strange, me still not having a girlfriend before Christmas and the fact you're getting married" Jim hated the single life. He was now 42 years old and had never been able to commit to a long-term relationship. He had squandered two chances he had with two previous girlfriends, Debbie and Donna and now that he was going to witness another one of his friends taking the plunge by committing to marriage. Writing and performing music did help to take his mind off things most of the time though.

"So you keep telling me, Jim. You'll meet that lucky lady one day soon. Perhaps in the same way me and Kayleigh found each other and fell in love." John supportively tried to encourage Jim not to give up on his love quest just yet.

"God I hope so. Hate being single." Jim said. He was pinning his hopes on John being spot on about the chances of him eventually meeting a single woman.

"Look at me, kept telling myself I wouldn't meet someone else after me and Charlotte broke up. Then one day I got paired up with Kayleigh for the shop's car share scheme, picked her up from her house and from thereon we found we shared so much in common with each other and then before we knew it, we found we'd fallen madly in love with each other."

"Still can't believe you asked me and Paul to be your best man...men. Is that even allowed for a wedding? Two people as your best man"

"Of course it is. Our Paul's never been one to give the best speeches in front of a room full of people. He always ends up getting nervous and just freezes and then it's left to me everytime, to read the rest of his speech. Anyway you're more use to it because we play in a band together. You know exactly what to say, to get an audience to really listen to you." John praised his friend's perfect interactiion skills.

"Aww thanks 's really nice of you to say." Jim was touched to hear John's reason for giving his half of the best man duties. "Oh by the way, don't be going telling our Dawn about my love woes." Jim begged him.

"Why?" John doesn't see what the problem is in telling Jim's sister, that her brother needs a nudge in the right direction when it comes to rediscovering what it's like to fall in love.

"Because she'll be matching me up with her colleagues, that's why." Jim said this because he knew he would not hear the last of his sister vowing to make sure her boyfriend had a girlfriend before the end of the year.

Meanwhile Kieran and Steve were helping themselves to the food in the kitchen and Paul was handpicking the music on the patio. Paul was careful not to turn the music up too loud in case Ian and Margaret from next door popped round and asked them to turn the music down.

"Our John's got a shit taste in music, I mean Keith Urban, Johnny Cash. That's hardly great music for a stag do is it?"

"Aye I like Stormzy's music. If I'd known we needed music to put on, I would have brought his album with me tonight. Could have taught John to rap while we were singing along to the lyrics." As Kieran was much younger - in his mid to late 20s. He was more or less fan of the latest music in the charts like Drake, The Weeknd and Clean Bandit.

"Jesus! don't go changing John into a rapper Kieran! You'll end up having Kayleigh accusing you of becoming a bad influence on him." Steve knew exactly how his sister-in-law might react if she saw that her younger brother was spending far too much time with her soon-to-be husband.

"No chance of that happening. I'd rather not end up getting on the wrong side of Our Kayleigh because she'll probably hide my phone or my car keys as revenge."

"Didn't she threaten to these two before when she was dating that mate of yours from College."

"Thomas? Yeah she proper fancied him. It was more of a one-sided relationship the two of them had. One night he came over to the house. Kayleigh got excited, thinking it was so they could spend more time together but he only wanted to play FIFA with me. Well, she got a bit upset and asked me to let her and Thomas spend time with each other. I said I had no plans to go out clubbing and she sort of hinted she would hide my car keys on me, if I didn't shift my arse, so I did. They broke up that night."

"Jesus. Talk about uncomfortable." Steve said, pulling a cringed face.

"Yeah, she even swore off finding love forever after that."

"Eh what about that last boyfriend she had, you know the one who used her as a drugs mule."

"I know! what a knobrash he turned out to be. You know, she told me the same again after she dumped him, she told me one night 'maybe I'm not meant to find the man of my dreams'.Well we know that promise didn't last long either. Can't believe how much has changed for her over the last few years. Seeing my big sister looking the happiest she's ever felt and that's all thanks to John."

Paul was overly pleased to hear his brother being highly praised. Thinking back to the very first time he met Kayleigh, Paul could tell his brother had finally found his soulmate and how smitten John was with her. He let out a chuckle, remembering the amount of times John visibly blushed whenever Kayleigh affectionately touched or caressed his thigh while under the watchful eyes of his mum and Nana on the night of the first meeting.

"Oi Paul you getting this music started or what!" John called over to him.

"Alright, I'll stick on some 80s and 90s dance shit, to keep you happy" Paul laughed. John was certainly in a party-like mood this evening. John being the typical briother he was, responded by sticking two fingers up at him. The brothers were regularly winding each other up. Paul done the same in return.

As the first song begun to play, Steve and Kieran started throwing a few of their best dance moves. John didn't feel in the mood for a proper dance when Kayleigh wasn't around. However whenever she was alongside him, she made sure to try and persuade him into getting up off his chair and start dancing and of course her words of encouragement worked like magic on him. He rewarded her with a few dance moves that he knew would make her giggle while she was watching him with such affection. Everytime they shared one of their many romantic dances, John and Kayleigh would feel as though they had entered their own little heavenly world.

"You dancing or what John?" Paul asked his brother. Judging from the thoughtful look on John's face, he looked like he wanted to type a sneaky catch-up text to Kayleigh when nobody was looking and also that he may be contemplating getting his head down for an early night.

"Come on John. It's your stag do. You're allowed to sing your heart out, dance your socks off on your last night of single life" It was now Jim's turn to offer some reassuring words.

"Alright, if I do dance. Don't be going filming and sticking it on Twitter or YouTube." John lets them know.

"Why, can't we?" Kieran asked.

"Well if you want, it's because I had a bad argument with a bloke on a bike once. One thing led to another and he ended up shaming me on YouTube. Kayleigh thought it was hilarious, while I just wanted to borrow Harry Potter's invisibility cloak and throw it over me, to hide my shame." John didn't fancy becoming an overnight YouTube star like he did last time, no thanks to the Psycho Cyclist.

"Jump on yer Bike! Oh, that was you John." Kieran instantly sniggered with laughter but stopped as soon as he realised no one else was laughing with him.

The rest of the night from then on, consisted of drinking games and loud singalongs.

**xxx**

The next morning

Yawning and stretching while he sat up in bed alone, John decided to browse through his latest messages on his phone, he actually wanted to see if Kayleigh had text him. A huge smile formed across his lips as soon as he saw her drunk text which she had obviously sent him in the early hours of the morning.

'I looove youuu Johnathan! xxxx'

"You getting up or what? Don't want to be late for your own wedding do ya?" Paul said, cheekily uninviting himself into the bedroom.

"Of course I'm getting up ya dickhead." John sighed. He threw the duvet off him and then soon wished he had kept it on him a little bit longer, as he noted how cold the room felt early that morning.

"Good." Paul gave him the update on what everyone was up to in the house. "Just to warn you Steve and Kieran are already downstairs, raiding the fridge for something to eat. Jim's re-reading the best man speech we're going to read out at the reception later. I think it's dawning on him, some of the stuff he's written might not go down too well with the guests"

John feels a bit hungover but surprisingly it didn't feel like a typical headbanging one. Without saying a word, John gave him a nod while he was putting his dressing gown on and then went straight to the bathroom. Paul got John's clothes ready and laid them on the bed for his brother. Paul begun to get ready himself even though it was only 9:30. He was left to wonder for a minute or two, what kind of marital advice, his and John's dad would have given to both brothers, if he had been still here with the family.

Funnily enough John was struck by this very same thought as well, while he was washing his face over the sink basin. He knows his dad will have made Kayleigh feel welcome in the Redmond household and he also will have no doubt expressed how proud he was on his son, following his heart, by making one of the most important adult decisions in his life - asking Kayleigh if she would do him the honour of becoming his wife.

The night in question was Kayleigh's birthday, where John got down on one knee and proposed to Kayleigh. He gave her a birthday card but had not given her an actual birthday present. The gutted look on her face said everything but luckily it never lasted long as John led her outside towards a part of the building where none of the guests could see what was about to happen next play out. He stated to her, there were much better things to receive than presents and then when she least expected it, he carefully got down on one knee and revealed a small leather box containing his Nana's diamond ruby engagement ring.

She said yes in record breaking time. To say this was a bombshell, would be an understatement for a man like John. He and Kayleigh had then next gathered their families together and told them the news of their engagement. Celebrations soon followed.

Now as their wedding day had finally arrived, John found himself feeling more excited than nervous about how the day's events will pan out and how they will end. He couldn't wait to make a toast with Kayleigh to the next chapter of their life together and then make their wedding night the most memorable and romantic experience ever. She deserved the whole world as far as he was concerned.

"Get a move on, John. You've been in there ages. You can't turn up at the church in just your dressing gown now, unless Kayleigh decides she fancies the idea of this happening and gives you the thumbs of approval" Paul said from the other side of the bathroom door.

"Alright, I'll get myself ready." John finally left the bathroom after spending a considerable amount of time pepping himself and reflecting on the last few months of his and Kayleigh's engagement. Steve, Kieran, Jim and Paul who had now all got themselves changed into their suits(purple, white and blue shirts/dark blue matching jackets and trousers) and looked very handsome, Kieran in particular. How on earth was Kayleigh's good-looking brother still young, free and single? John wonders.

"You do realise you've got 40 minutes to make yourself look presentable and have breakfast, think you can manage this?" Paul was surprised to see how his brother was barely on track with his preparations for the wedding.

"Yes, If you keep banging on about it, I'll only have 20 minutes left. Christ Sake, at least give me a chance to get me shirt on." John said before hurrying and disappearing inside the bedroom.

5-6 minutes later, John appeared again sporting the biggest grin on his face.

"Care to explain why you're grinning at me like that" Paul asked, as he couldn't make out why John's got one of those big cheesy grins across his face.

"You thought I wasn't arsed about getting myself ready."

"Yeah. You're finally ready now"

"Well you're forgetting smart-arse that I can dress quicker than, you can dress yourself. Always takes you ages to button your shirt up"

"Your hair's still looks a right mess."

"Well I can sort it out when we're in the car, can't I"

"Oh, there's some slices of toast left for you in the kitchen" Steve remembers two he left on a plate on the kitchen counter. If truth be told, he was more of a cereal eater than a toast eater. Everyone headed back downstairs.

John smiled fondly as he reminded himself of the fact, how this gorgeous feisty little redhead had welcomingly become a ever present, constant voice in his head, telling him never to go out to work or drive up to his mum's house, while on an empty stomach. He rather enjoyed the many times of when she made sure he knows this.

John popped the plate in the microwave, so he could warm the slices of toast up for 20-30 seconds before he then retrieved them and tuck into them. He displayed quite an impressive appetite on him.

"Whoa! Slow down will you." Jim and Paul said simultanenously.

John jokingly stuck two fingers up at them as he took a last bite of the slice of the toast.

"You'll never change will ya. Once a cheeky arse, always a cheeky arse." Paul knew his brother far greater than anybody else. He knew his brother had the marvelous skill of make people laugh wherever he went. He was also a loveable around anybody he interacted with and a romantic at heart. No wonder Kayleigh fell for him in the way she did. John's kindness and certain way of words had helped him to attract more girlfriends than he ever possibly could in the past.

Speaking of which, when John introduced Kayleigh as his girlfriend to the rest of the family, pretty much everyone in the room could tell John was lovestruck and that he had finally met the one, his dream woman, the woman who would one day call his wife . Even Ben and Sophie despite them too young to understand grown up stuff, were asking Kayleigh, if she didn't mind them calling her 'Auntie Kayleigh'. She had wonderfully hit it off straight away with his children. There was no doubt in any of the family's minds that she and John would make great parents themselves one day. Kayleigh was going to be a perfect addition to the Redmond family especially on the female side.

John practiced one or two breathing exercises before getting inside the car. The realisation was overwhelmingly dawning on him, the fact he was soon to become a married man in a matter of hours. He was ever so excited, knowing he would be reunited with Kayleigh again at the front of the aisle. Lovingly gazing into those beautiful dark brown eyes of hers and saying his specially written marriage vows to her was all that mattered. He honestly lost count the amount of times, in which he'd rehearsed them over and over again in his head. He couldn't afford to say the wrong thing and embarrass her especially on their wedding day.

John, Jim and Paul were seated and squashed up in the Fiat. John was doing the driving of course. He insisted the Red Fiat will be the wedding car., no fancy wedding limousine The car was an important reminder for him and Kayleigh, for how their love story began. Meanwhile Kieran and Steve followed on behind them in Kieran's Toyota.

**All Reviews are welcome**


	3. Chapter 3

St Mary's Church where John and Kayleigh were due to be wed that afternoon, was a relatively small-scaled church just outside the city centre and it had the most beautiful landscape at the side of the 19th century church where you were able to take as many selfies and photographs as you like. From the off, Kayleigh had set her heart on being married in this church because it happened to be the exact one, where her much missed grandparents got married as childhood sweethearts. John, of course, made it his mission to make sure this very church the exact venue where they would be wed. 10 days later, Kayleigh was understandably overjoyed, after John delivered the news that he managed to book their wedding at this church. She ended up taking him by surprise, by leaping into his arms in the middle of the staff canteen, in front of most of their colleagues. She had that look on her face, the one that was always the easiest for John to read, the "I don't give a shit" look - not caring which nosybody colleague may be watching her and John. She more than happily rewarded her wonderful fiance with a satisfying kiss.

As their impending nupitals was only under an hour away, the telling smile on Kayleigh's face was growing minute by minute as she fondly reminscied on the exact moment in time she knew deep down, she had fallen for this well mannered and kindhearted gentleman, who became such a dear friend and confidant as they got to know each other more better throughout the early stage of their car sharing journey and throughout the latter stage of it as well. "I don't know how but I guess I knew I saw him being more than a friend when he told me he'd arranged to go out for drinks with Rachel..." Kayleigh briefly gave a half sad look.

"So who's this Rachel by the way?" Peter asked from nowhere. He could tell from this particular envious look on his daughter's face, Kayleigh and this Rachel weren't exactly best mates at work/outside work. Perhaps Rachel had been desperate to get her claws into John before Kayleigh finally had her chance with John.

"She's a slap...she's a work colleague of mine" Kayleigh conducted herself from saying what she really thought of Rachel "who convinced herself she actually stood a chance with John before me and him got together. One day when he was driving me home from work, John could tell how unhappy I was when he said he was going out for drinks with her. Told me the next day, he ended up calling it off." Kayleigh said, recalling the very moment in the car when John said he wouldn't be doing this and also inadvertently revealed to her about how well Rachel took the news - according to him she was proper fuming with him because she had already handpicked an eye-catching dress for their drinks get together. Kayleigh had not been there on the shop floor at the time to witness Rachel's reaction because unlucky for her she was in the women's staff toilet when this took place.

"Perhaps the very thought of going out for drinks with Rachel was an offer John wished he hadn't agreed to doing . Sounds as though John was waiting to see how you'd react and from the sounds of things you sure did give him the right reaction, he was hoping to see " Peter suggested with a thoughtful look.

"Dad, so do you think he did this because he was hiding the fact, that he was fighting his feelings for me?" Kayleigh responded with surprise at the very likelihood of John possibly having been in love with her much earlier than she believed he was. She genuinely thought at the time, he was just making sure she knew about his fraternize with staff rule which he followed. The thought of John harbouring romantic feelings hadn't crossed her mind whatsoever.

"No doubt, Kayleigh love. It sounds pretty much straight forward how John has always felt about you. I'm guessing he's obviously felt his heart didn't belonged in relationships he's had in the past and so he was probably afraid to tell you he felt the same way as you did about him. You two came to two different crossroads...so what happened next?" Peter had a rough idea as to what led to the pair eventually falling in love with each other.

"He left it all very last minute. He actually cried himself before he wrote a song for me. Gave me his stereo player, for me to listen to it on. I was in bits when I heard his song. John ended up letting me keep the tape player." Kayleigh opened up about Car Share Buddy.

"John wrote a ballad for you, that's a quite romantic thing to do. Music is the always perfect way to winning a woman's heart. John clearly wasn't going to give you up without a fight." The smile on Peter's face broadens, he's visibly impressed. He'd met three of his daughter's previous boyfriends, one or two of them turned out to be proper wrong uns and the other one showed he was far more interested in football than Kayleigh. Now as he learned a few extra details about his future son-in-law, he knew Kayleigh had finally found the man of her dreams.

"Since when did you become an expert, in the art of romance, Dad?" Mandy asked. Her father spoke of great wisdom and experience, she wonders whether perhaps the amount of time he spent away from the family had given him some food for thought.

"Let's just say I have the love maestro himself Fred Siriex to thank for this." Peter answered straight away. He wasn't ashamed to admit he got a few love tips from a TV show.

"Oh I love Fred Siriex...not much as I love John though..."Kayleigh gushed about admiring Fred Siriex off the telly.

"Oh I'm sure he won't mind you having a TV crush, every couple's allowed to have one like me and Steve have." Mandy cheekily suggests. Bringing up the matter of her current TV crush, who she wasn't ashamed to admit she'd taken a fancy to.

"Who? Anton Du Beke? Nope not for me I'm afraid. I wouldn't want to take up dancing even if I found myself in the same room as him" Kayleigh said, expressing her opinion.

"I bet you would." Mandy pushed her further.

"I don't think so" Kayleigh wasn't going to give that easily.

"Wanna bet. Doesn't take much for someone to win you over. If John sitting was here, I'm pretty sure he'd be nodding his head and agreeing with me. You're easily won over by a smile and twinkle of the eye. Anton's got the ability to do this in a nutshell" The sisters light-hearted argument came to an abrupt stop.

Peter suddenly burst out laughing, having quietly watched his daughters sharing this typical sisterly argument. He knew at that precise moment, the two sisters had well and truly not changed one bit since childhood and so on throughout the teenage years up until now - constantly bickering over the silliest of subjects such as; food, boyfriends, who wore the best clothes, TV celebrities, having the same pop star crushes...the list was endless.

"I see some things never change" Were the only words Peter could say before he resumed his laughter.

**xxx**

"Stop fidgeting with your tie will ya. You're as bad as me when I'm listening to some boring colleague waffling on and on at one of my work dos. Both my hands always feel like they're permanently stuck to my tie." Paul chuckled. Perfecting the perfect tie/best impression look, certainly ran on the male side of the Redmond famiy throughout the generations. Their much missed father constantly taught his two sons, to not make the mistake of 'making yourselves look like you're hinting by playing with your tie, that you wish to take the next step in a relationship while you're meant to be enjoying an evening in with your girlfriend because it will spoil things. Be yourself, be a gentleman'

"Can't help it Paul. I know what dad told us in the past. Be a gentleman in the presence of a woman. Don't walking in the room looking like you've been dragged through a hedge backwards. I've gotta look my best for Kayleigh as soon as our eyes meet while Kieran's walking her down the aisle." John knew there was no room for any cock-ups on the biggest day of his life, everything needed to run smoothly.

The Redmond brothers reflected more on the wise advice their father, which he made sure the two of them needed to learn. "There's that and there's also the fact, I know dad would be proud of you, if he were now with us. What else was it he said, a few weeks before he died?"

"Listen Our John, you know I'll be there with you in spirit on your wedding day at the church when you're marrying the girl you're going to spend the rest of your life with. Make sure that brother of yours, doesn't go upstaging you while you're having your first dance at the wedding reception."

"Dad said I'm an upstager? Since when?" Paul asked, looking a little slow on the uptake.

"Since you got up and danced to 'U Can't Touch This' that time at our cousin Sally's wedding 6 years ago. DJ meant to put hers and her husband's first dance song on but he accidentially put MC Hammer's one instead and you started doing the exact moves to the song. Mum and dad had their hands over their eyes the entire time." John chuckled. The memory of Paul doing the shuffle dance was a classic moment to observe.

"Oh yeah, I remember now. Sally weren't happy with me. Gave me the maddest eyes a woman's ever given me. I couldn't wait to get out of that function room so fast."

"That was proper funny. The look on your face throughout that evening was popcorn worthy for me and John here ." Jim added. Jim and John occasionally relished discussing hilarious stuff Paul had done in the past. Paul sometimes found himself as the target of most of their jokes.

"I couldn't stick around, could I? especially under her watchful eyes." Paul casts his mind back to the moment of when he did a runner and eventually headed back to the hotel where he was staying at that weekend, for an early night.

"You legged it just as I caught the eye of these two female friends. Nothing came of it though. Ended up back at my hotel room on my own." John hadn't been on any mission to find love again especially on this specific night. However it was only a matter of days later when he met Charlotte.

"Yeah I think you probably mentioned this like a thousand times already" Paul said with a knowing smirk.

"Shut up ya dickhead" John said, sensing Paul's attempt to cheekily wind him up good and proper.

The grounds and flowerbeds surrounding the church soon came into clear view as John drove the Fiat up a sloped driveway which led up to the church. Guests were gathering for John and Kayleigh's big day including John's mum, Nana Rose, Kayleigh's mum, members of their extended families, neighbours and their work colleagues.

Jim waved at a few people he knew and also decided to eye up his potential next girlfriend as the car came up the gates of the church.

"Never change" John whispered beneath his breath, the moment he caught a glimpse of Jim doing this in the rear-view mirror.

"What?" Jim made it clear he wasn't doing nothing wrong out of the ordinary. Just what any normal single bloke would be doing at a wedding.

"You, fancying your chances with one of Kayleigh's cousins." John let out a chuckle. He knew what kind of man his best friend can behave like, mainly when he crosses paths with a beautiful woman.

"Let's not forget, I'm a single bloke John. Like I said last night, now is the right time for me to find a girlfriend and hopefully settle down with them." Jim confidently explained his reason for quietly starting his search for a new girlfriend.

"Fair enough." John added. He know he could say no more and just left things there.

"You ready?" Paul asked his brother, subsequently changing the subject.

"You mean am I ready to get married?" John double-checked with his brother by repeating the question back.

"Yeah, that's what I actually meant" Paul nodded and smiled, as if he had just a pretty good private joke with himself. At least John didn't appear to be hungover as he thought he might be.

"Aye, I'm more than ready, as I'll ever be." John added.

"Good. Now might be the time to get that arse of yours off your seat then dickhead, you know before you r beautiful bride accidentally sees you outside the church." Paul said before he got out the car.

"Paul Redmond, wash that language right out your mouth, young man!" A woman in her late 60s called out, as she came over towards the car to greet them.

"Sorry mum." Paul apologised, looking awkwardly. John and Paul's mum Joan, was a no-nonsense woman. You put a foot wrong with her and you soon found yourself getting an almighty dressing down from her. She was smaller in height than her precious sons. Paul towered over both his brother, mother and Jim.

"Let's get all inside. I've left Rose sitting with Kayleigh's mum at the front of the altar. You should see two of them, they're getting on like a house on fire. Can't get a word in edgeways" Joan confirmed. She took hold of John's left hand and ushered him inside the church ahead of his two best men.

"She's been telling everyone in the family that John and Kayleigh's wedding, will be much better than Scott and Charlene's wedding from Neighbours."

"Has she? Might be close enough to being as good as theirs. John said, he'll see whether he may want to do a song or two at the reception. If he doesn't want to do any, I've got a few back-ups I can easily set up myself on stage."

"Please don't tell me you've got One Direction songs as back ups." Paul asked. He hoped Jim hadn't bought any cheesy music tapes with him.

"Christ no. I've got better ones than that. Even got a new song, John's written for Kayleigh before they got engaged. Proper romantic it is. It'll melt everyone's hearts once they hear it." Jim knows he can't say too much seeing as John has instructed him to reveal no lyrics from it. It was important for Kayleigh and the wedding guests to get to listen to it at the wedding reception.

"You know what, I'm beginning to think Our John's writing songs in his sleep." Paul often joked this was blatantly obvious about his talented songwriting brother.

"Aye I'm pretty sure he does. Shame he won't own up and admit this." Jim wondered why John did not openly confess to this fact.

"John's unlikely to tell us, is he? I think we know he clearly does" Paul gives a knowing smirk. He and Jim enter the church together.

**xxx**

"Mandy how do I look? Do I look better or less better? Is my makeup okay? Do I look likely to scream the church down once the vicar officially confirms me and John as husband and wife?" Kayleigh's nerves were understandably getting the better of her. Her looks said everything. All she needed was simple reassurance.

"That's the 25th time you've asked me since we left the house...You look fabulous sis. Oh I'll make sure I have my headphones ready to wear, if you look likely to do this" Mandy said, seeing a golden opportunity to tease her sister lightheartedly about her overpanicked looks.

"Kayleigh, you look marvellous love. John clearly thinks the world of you and he clearly won't think any differently once he sets eyes on you, as you make your way down the aisle towards him." Yet again Peter was the voice of reason as he held her hand and gave his daughter the words of reassurance she needed to hear.

"Thanks dad. Today means everything to me, having you and mum both there on the happiest day of my life, getting to look on proudly as I marry my Johnathan..." At the mention of John's name, Kayleigh's mind suddenly becomes filled with happy memories of her and John's relationship and also very satisfying visions "Johnathan? Thought you said his name was John. Is Johnathan his full name?" Peter asks, expressing a growing curious look on his face.

Kayleigh being quite the notable daydreamer she is, was still far too busy preoccupied, to be answering any questions.

"Best not to ask or...maybe let John explain it to you instead" Mandy laughed. Thanks to a bit of quick thinking, she put off her dad from asking any more questions with an easy enough answer. Well they couldn't delay the wedding whilst the sisters and their dad decided on the matter of how they would deal with Kieran's reaction to seeing his dad.

In a matter of minutes the wedding car taking the bride, her sister and dad to the church, soon came into the grounds of the church "We're here. Dad tof what their wedding night might be like.

he church looks so beautiful" Kayleigh commented, as she clutched her bouquet and then gave the shiest of smiles.

"Your nan and grandad got to share great memories of getting married here. Snowed for hours and hours on the day they wed. Took the photographer an hour to take the first photo of them. You never know might even snow today, just as we're all leaving the church." The story of George Price and Mavis Hughes had been shared throughout the years with the Price children and grandchildren but today felt like it was the perfect time to re-tell this at least one more time.

"Nothing said on TV about it snowing today." Mandy said on interrrupting him.

"Well you know what the British Weather's like. Can never make it's mind up from one minute to the next" Peter made a pretty reasonable point.

"Yeah that's true." Mandy nodded in agreement. She turned her attention back to Kayleigh and smiled reassuringly at her sister who looked amazing. "Come on let's get you inside. Can't keep the groom waiting in suspenders."

The three got out the car one by one, Mandy first then Peter, who helped Kayleigh get out from the car, making sure the material of her wedding dress did not get stuck in the door. Elsie and Kelly joined them beside the car after they had getting out the other wedding car behind. It didn't take long before another person took the opportunity to join them as well.

"Dad?" The giveaway look on Kieran's face suggested, he did not seem shocked to see his father.

"Kieran...good to see you son." Were the only words Peter could say as he greeted his son. He nor anyone had expected Kieran to greet them by the cars. Matters between father and son soon looked very awkward indeed. Kieran said nothing, as he held his sister's hand and his dad held the other hand, as they led her towards the church entrance.

"I haven't found myself in an awkward situation like this since the time I got stuck up a ladder in the warehouse at work, while taking a sneaky peek at the latest Pringles flavours. Four hours I spent up that ladder. I guess the plus side of it, was the wee warehouse lads weren't there taking photos on their phones and posting it all over social media." Elsie said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Kieran please for me, can you and dad not be at each other's throats. Please don't make a scene in the church because I swear I will not get married until you two sort out your differences." Kayleigh dramatically laid down the rules. Hoping her brother and father will understand.

"Kayleigh don't be silly."

"Yeah sis, don't be silly."

"Excuse me Kieran Kitson but you're one to talk to. You're constantly acting like...an Nob Head all the time and expecting us to fight your corner for you. You've never admitted you've misjudged or gone too far when slagging someone off." Kayleigh argued her case against her younger brother. Elsie, Kelly, Mandy and Peter could only watch in amazement as the bride shrewdly put her brother in his place. "Look I don't want to hear another word of you badmouthing our dad...okay?"

"Umm okay..." Kieran did not say much, obviously he was stunned to see his sister fiercely standing up to him.

"Shall we go inside now?" Mandy said, as Kayleigh's handpicked music started playing, Beyonce's Halo.

Although father and son hadn't said any further word to each other, they seemed to be finally on the same page as they walked Kayleigh into the church.

**All Reviews are welcome**


	4. Chapter 4

Heads turned towards the church entrance as the beautiful bride made her way down the aisle accompanied by her proud brother and father. Whispers soon circulate amongst the gathered wedding guests regarding the last minute change. Steve briefly glanced over towards John who wore the proudest of smiles on his face, as he watched the love of his life, slowly approach him. She looked utterly breathtaking in her creamy wedding dress.

Kayleigh recently swapped her wedding entrance song choice for one which she thought was absolutely perfect as soon as she listened to it on Spotify - the words to this certain song by all means, were as Kayleigh would constantly say with any song she loved, were well worth listening to.

"Cause holy cow, I love your eyes  
And only now I see the light  
Yeah, lying with me half awake  
Oh, anyway, it's looking like a beautiful day

When my face is chamois-creased  
If you think I'll wink, I did  
Laugh politely at repeats  
Yeah, kiss me when my lips are thin

Cause holy cow, I love your eyes  
And only now I see you like  
Yeah, lying with me half awake  
Stumbling over what to say  
Well, anyway, it's looking like a beautiful day

Throw those curtains wide!  
One day like this a year'd see me right  
Throw those curtains wide!  
One day like this a year'd we'll sing it right"

"Mandy and Kayleigh's dad?" John asked Steve, who was sitting nearest to where he was currently standing. While he had the last 30 - 40 seconds spare of thinking to do, John suddenly remembers the many previous occasions, Kayleigh happily quizzed him about what his father was like but in return she never mentioned hers. Of course, he hadn't thought to ask her why she had not opened up about why her father had been absent from her life. It would be ungentleman like of him to risk upsetting her.

"Aye" Steve responded to John's question without directly looking him in the eyes. "Mandy's been in touch with him for ages. It's a long story pal but she said she believed their dad deserved to be a part of Kayleigh's big day today. Kayleigh will explain everything else to you" Steve's eyes were clearly far too busy making frisky looks at Mandy in her bridesmaid. So he did not quite catch the curious look which John happened to have on his face.

John nodded understandingly and slowly began to relax, knowing now he can finally able put a face to the name. He picked up on Kayleigh's dad's very dapper look and the nod he gave in John's direction. The conspicuous smile on his face showed how happy he was for Kayleigh. It felt like a big deal getting to meet his new father-in-law for the first time. John honestly did not know what to say to him.

John and Kayleigh's individual smiles lit up the room like a beacon as the wedding guests watched the couple reuniting at the altar. Peter and Kieran stepped aside and took their seats as Kayleigh stood alongside the man who was soon to become her husband.

"Might say how beautiful you look Kayleigh. Can't wait for us to enjoy our wedding night...if ya know what I mean..." John said, as he closed the gap between them and intentionally whispered in her ear, so nobody else can hear him. Kayleigh giggled a little too loudly at John's extremely naughty comment. Paul and Jim shared exactly the same 'John will get us all kicked out of church for comments like that' look on their faces, while they tried the absolute best to keep a straight face.

"Jonathan!...may I remind you we're in church and plus my dad's sitting down right behind you.." Kayleigh duly reminded him, of where her father had chosen to take a seat and the fact their other family members and work colleagues were watching their every move. Well it was pretty obvious he missed her company more than she missed his, last night.

"Sorry...It's like sometimes my brain's got mind of it's own and it causes me to come out with certain words - like you know whenever I realise how I love you so much and how much I really... really want to whisk you off your feet." John said with a big beaming smile. He made it pretty obvious he couldn't care less who was earwigging on his and Kayleigh'a conversation. He cherished the way this amazing woman standing there before him, made him feel utterly lovestruck and how being in her presence, encouraged him say stuff he wouldn't necessary say.

"John...what's got into you? Mr Romantic..." Kayleigh gave a heavenly smile as their eyes met and the two shared a lingering look.

"The way I feel about you. Knowing you and me are sharing the biggest day of our life together with our loved ones. Making sure you've got the wedding you've always dreamt of." John admitted with considerable honesty and deeply from the heart.

"You've got me started..." Kayleigh briefly glanced down at her glittering shoes momentarily, as she replayed his beautiful comment in her mind. John certainly knew how to win her heart again and again and make her cry tears of joy in a way nobody else had managed to successfully do before. "even before we've said our vows." she said the moment she clapped her eyes on him once more.

"Shall I begin?" The silver-haired priest cleared his throat in a bid to gain their attention, once he appeared in front of the happy couple. He was obviously not best pleased by the fact the bride and groom had kept their pending nuptitals on hold for at least 15 minutes due to their noticeable whispering.

"Yes. We're ready now." John and Kayleigh gave the green light for the priest to make a start. Their smiles never left their faces as the nupitals started.

**xxx**

Once they exchanged their marriage vows and Jim had ultimately saved the day after Paul's clumsy accident with the wedding rings caused widespread laughter and gasps from the gathered guests. Jim quickly located where exactly the two rings had landed on the floor, next to Elsie's sparkling shoes and retrieved them straight away. Once he got to his feet, he clocked eyes with her and earned himself a flirtatious wink from her. The priest therefore happily announced "I now pronounce you, husband and wife...you make kiss the bride."

The newlyweds each took a deep breath and waited for the right moment to officially confirm their marriage status with a kiss. A perked up John made the first move, Kayleigh acknowledged him making the move and so she followed his lead. They ended up bumping noses softly, of course it did not stop them from relishing the enjoyment of their first kiss as a married couple. This kiss was as perfectly sweet, meaningful and romantic as the many hundreds of kisses, which they had thoroughly enjoyed over the course of their relationship. With their future of happiness now sealed, Mr and Mrs Redmond had a lifetime of the greatest kisses to look forward to and a chance to make the most wonderful and funniest memories, whether it might be topping up on tans on holidays or John surprising Kayleigh with plenty of Christmas/New Year getaways, the exciting prospect of this made the couple excited.

"I love you Mrs Redmond" John said, tenderly caressing her cheek and brushing away a trickling tear from her cheek with his right hand while their families and friends cheered and clapped for the happy couple. Getting to call Kayleigh his wife felt like the most incredibly natural feeling ever.

"I love you too Mr Redmond..." Kayleigh was overwhelmed with tears of joy as she gazed deeply into his green eyes. Everything about today had become rather emotional for her. She was grateful knowing John would comfort her and kiss away any tears or reassure her she has nothing to feel scared of.

"After you, Mr Redmond" John said, he gave her hand the gentlest of squeezes.

"No, after you, Mrs Redmond. No time like the present"

"Hang fire, need to adjust my bra."

"You're unbelievable, you."

"And that's why you love me."

Mandy, Jim, Paul, Steve, Kieran and everyone else had gathered to greet the happy couple outside on the stone steps leading up to the church with a handful of confetti. It was snowing, quite heavily in fact. It was as if the magic of the weather had gifted John and Kayleigh an extra special moment for their special day.

"Say Mrs Redmond how would you feel right now if..."Kayleigh placed her finger across his lips to silence him.

"Shut up and kiss me now Jonathan!" Kayleigh's patience soon began to get the better of her. John could tell this from the look in her eyes, she was longing for him to kiss her good and proper. in record time he pulled her to him and held her close in his arms before eventually rewarding her with a lingering kiss, one which she certainly would not be forgetting in a hurry. For the briefest of moments they found themselves in their own little world, a perfect heaven which nobody else could ever enter and boy did this feeling feel so dreamy for them.

In the spur of the moment Kayleigh tossed her small bouquet into the crowd of wedding guests without making eye contact, she was having a breather after she satisfyingly kissed John. "10/10 for kissing perfection, 9/10 for reaction time. 8/10 for talking too much and keeping everyone waiting in suspenders" Kayleigh took it upon herself to mark him for his chivalrous skills.

"Cheeky bitch." John mouthed to her, while they made their way down the steps before getting congratulated with hugs and handshakes. Peter stepped forward first and politely introduced himself to his new son-in-law.

"Good to meet you John son. I'm Peter, Mandy and Kayleigh's dad, my daughters have told me so much about you. How you and Kayleigh got on well with each other during a travel to work scheme and how you've constantly gone out your way for her. How you've connected with my grandchildren."

"Aye. Good to finally meet you. Just so you know Mr Kitson I'm not one of those arseholes who'll..." John half panicked, he soon wished he hadn't mouthed the word 'arsehole' especially in front of Kayleigh's dad and the other wedding guests. Quick on the ball, he saved his reputation. "You see, what I'm trying to say is, I'm just a bloke who knows where exactly his heart belongs" John said, turning to face his blushing wife and as a show of affection he graciously lifted her hand up to his lips, kissing each fingertip gently.

"Oh I can see you're not an arsehole, John son. You're a proper gentleman. I was the same myself when I was a young man. I've no doubt you'll make Kayleigh the happiest woman on the planet"

"I think I already did the day I proposed to her, Mr Kitson. Should have heard her screaming the place down with "Yes! Yes! I will marry you John." John cheerfully reminscied regarding the day of the proposal. Kayleigh at this point, decided to usher him away from speaking to her dad. It was bad enough, tolerating Steve and John's boring bike talk, she could hardly get a word in edgeways and now her dad wanted to learn more about his son-in-law.

"Please call me Peter. Being called Mr Kitson makes me sound like I'm a Sports teacher. That's Our Kayleigh alright, she's..."

"Dad shush!" Kayleigh showed she was pretty eager to get John in the Fiat and get them back to the hotel they'd booked as soon as possible, so they can change into their evening attire. John had tasked both their mums with making sure their suitcases were left inside their hotel room which they had for the night. Kayleigh had a ravishing golden dress, laid out on the bed for her and John had a snazzy maroon patterned shirt, grey tailored blazer and matching trousers waiting for him.

"What have I done wrong now?" A baffled Peter asked. Believing himself to be totally innocent here. Surely there was nothing wrong at all with getting to have a quick chat with his son-in-law.

Joan held her arms out and gave her son the biggest congratulations hug ever. She looked so delighted for her eldest son. "Your dad would have enjoyed everything about today, you know. Proudly watching you and Kayleigh tying the knot."

"Aye. Mum, I already have a good idea what dad would have said if he were here. He'd be treating us all to one of his big speeches. Wishing me and Kayleigh the best of the world of happiness and for us to welcome another grandchild into the world. When you and Kayleigh gonna have a child?" John said, doing a facial and vocal impression of his father.

"Right your car's done, John." Paul's voice could be heard somewhere in the crowd of guests. Nobody was able to see where he was hiding until he sprung to his feet like a Jack-In-A-Box. His height difference from afar gave the game away for him.

"What?" Unfortunately John hadn't heard his brother properly, what with all the chatting going on around him.

"Your car's decorated, you daft sod. Come and have a look, see what you reckon." Paul said in a persistent manner, insisting the newlyweds follow him to where the Fiat is parked up.

"So what do ya reckon?" The colourful banner on the back of the car was a proper standout with a silly drawing of John and Kayleigh's faces.

JOHN + KAYLEIGH

JUST MARRIED

"I'll take a photo on my phone and send it to Blue Peter" John said with a half-impressed look. Paul had always looked up to his brother when it came to being creative. Growing up especially throughout their teenage years, Paul was the one who preferred doing sketches and doodles while John taught himself to play music instruments and read books.

"Ha, ha, you're funny. No what do you think? Look I might not be very good at painting words on banners and all that shit but I think I've done a good enough job with this." Paul awaited the nod of approval and the thumbs up from his younger brother.

"It's lovely. Thanks Paul. I didn't know my head looked like Shrek's" John smiled thoughtfully, as he finally gave his genuine opinion of what he thought. ' _Cheeky dickhead Paul'_

Jim and Kieran acted as if they were auditioning to become pop-stars bodyguards, by getting people to move out the way as far as possible, so they can let John and Kayleigh past them. John was soon giving his wife a helping hand when it came to her getting in the passenger seat. Her dress was causing one or two problems but nothing too serious to worry about. Her hair had surprisingly stayed shiny and in perfect condition during their wedding vows and now as they prepared to head off to the nearby hotel. "You know I want you to whisk me off my feet and carry me to our hotel room."

"What? You mean all the way from the car park, throughout the hotel lobby and while we're in the lift and then as I'm getting us into our hotel room door?"

"No...no...no well just from when we step out of the lift. I'm just saying we could spear a few minutes of kissing, cuddling and maybe a quickie."

"A quickie?" The pair had relished every moment of becoming acquainted with each other, both hopeful they could spend as long as possible in each other's company but it seemed as though John did not understand the meaning of the word.

"I've got a lot to teach you Johnathan Redmond. Shouldn't take me long" Kayleigh couldn't believe he hadn't heard of this word before. She used her index finger and circled it across his chest, over where she could feel his heart beating.

"Oh aye, you're a right tease you...Missus Redmond." John chuckled. The words coming out of her mouth were as outrageous and naughty than ever. He knew it was a matter of time before the two of them might end up enjoying 'a quickie' as Kayleigh nonchalantly detailed it. He was beginning to have an inkling of what it meant.

"Oh I aim to please every single time. I like being in charge" Kayleigh's saucy behaviour was like fine music to John's ears. He was bewitched at the sound of her talking dirty to him whenever nobody else was around them.

John's eyes widened as he broke into a fit of giggles. "Don't be going telling your Mandy or Kieran this. Before I know it, they'll both be taking the piss out of me"

"I'm not a gossip John. Honest. Relax, I'm only ever going to keep this between us. Anyway Mandy probably knows this herself but I'm hardly going to go and tell her every detail about our sex life." Kayleigh, with hand on heart swears she hasn't given away too much detail.

"I thought you might have done. Sisters tell each other everything, don't they? Me and Our Paul are the same. Tables have turned with us. Used to be me, now it's him questioning about when might be the right time, for him to get himself back on the dating scene" John believes this was clearly the case because him and Paul for example from an early ages had always found themselves opening up about everything from individual worry they each felt to love and work related stuff.

"Yes. If I had opened my mouth to Our Mandy, she'd be sitting me down and doing her best to persuade me to try out a scene from the 50 Shades of Grey film on you, that's why, I don't wanna go spilling the beans." Kayleigh liked to keep some matters to herself.

"Christ no, not that shitty film. My Mum found Our Paul's book copy of it in his car. You should have seen her face" John could not stand mentions of this certain book. Cath Hilton and some of her colleagues in work had all read it. The book caused quite a stir and plenty of naughty sex talk, so he knew it wasn't worth reading a preview of it.

"Exactly." Kayleigh usually relished preoccupying herself with a book in bed but 50 Shades of Grey was one book she wasn't really keen on. Christian Grey sounded like a sexy bloke but the things he got up to in the book, made Kayleigh cringe as possible.

John lightened the mood by turning the music on in the car. The first song that played was a much-loved favourite of theirs. The couple shared a frisky and joyous smile which said everything.

"Aww did you request this for us John?" Kayleigh was on the verge of throwing her arms around his neck and rewarding him with the biggest kiss ever.

"I didn't know it were coming on...or did I?" John suggested with the cheekiest of smirks.

"Johnnn!"

"What?!"

"You know what!"

Kayleigh giggled infectiously. Kayleigh's eyes sparkled like a disco ball as the sound of her laughter left a blossoming presence. John sighed contentedly. He started them on their journey back to the hotel.

'Love is in the air, everywhere I look around  
Love is in the air, every sight and every sound  
And I don't know if I'm being foolish  
Don't know if I'm being wise  
But it's something that I must believe in  
And it's there when I look in your eyes

Love is in the air, in the whisper of the tree  
Love is in the air, in the thunder of the sea  
And I don't know if I'm just dreaming  
Don't know if I feel safe  
But it's something that I must believe in  
And it's there when you call out my name

Love is in the air  
Love is in the air  
Oh, oh, oh, oh'

 **End** **of Chapter**

**All Reviews are welcome**

*** Elbow - One Day Like This - songwriter: Guy Garvey ***

*** John Paul Young - Love is in the Air - songwriters: George Young and Harry Vanda ***


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